Join the Conversation

CBP seizes ton of marijuana in El Paso

Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times
Published 8:58 p.m. MT Oct. 13, 2015

Mexican marijuana seizures are down along the U.S.-Mexico border, and it could be because the quality of U.S.-grown marijuana appeals more to U.S. pot consumers, according to the 2015 Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Drug Threat Assessment report.(Photo: Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than a ton of marijuana at El Paso area border crossings during the Columbus Day holiday weekend, officials said Tuesday.

CBP officers seized 2,160 pounds of marijuana in nine cases from Friday through Monday, officials said. CBP estimated the marijuana had a total street value of $1.7 million.

Officials said that one of the largest busts of the weekend occurred Friday morning at the Bridge of the Americas when CBP officers using a drug-sniffing dog and an X-ray scan found 421 pounds of marijuana hidden in the floor and bed of a Chevrolet Silverado.